A STUDY OF SERUM 25 )OH( VITAMIN D LEVEL AS RISK FACTOR FOR RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME IN PRETERM NEONATES

Abstract

R DS is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in premature babies, caused by the immature anatomical development of the lungs and surfactant deficiency. Animal experiments have demonstrated that 25(OH)D plays an important role in pulmonary maturation and also enhances steroid activity (Ataseven et al., 2013). The importance of vitamin D in non-skeletal fetal and childhood health has become increasingly recognized in the last decades. The impact of vitamin D on early lung development and maturation and lung diseases of early life is an emerging field of research. Hypovitaminosis D during pregnancy is associated with reduced placental development and weight, leading to a presumed risk of preterm birth, which may lead to RDS and BPD (Sine et al., 2015). The purpose of our study was to investigate whether 25(OH)D deficiency is a risk factor for RDS. Our study was carried on 65 preterm neonates less than 34 wks gestational age divided into 2 groups: cases group included 40 preterm neonates with RDS and controls group included 25 preterm neonates without RDS. Both groups were subjected to history taking, clinical examination and laboratory investigations including serum Ca level and serum 25(OH) vitamin D level. Serum 25(OH) vitamin D level was measured in the serum of all neonates on first day of life and all included neonates were followed up clinically and laboratory. Both groups were comparable as regards gestational age, gender and mode of delivery, neonates in RDS group had lower gestational age than in control group (31.34 vs 32.44) (p=0.05). Also, there is no statistically significant difference between neonates in RDS group and control group as regards maternal age, antenatal steroid intake, PROM, DM with pregnancy and preeclampsia.